Highlanders Football Club

Highlanders Football Club popularly known as Bosso is one the oldest football clubs in Zimbabwe which was formed in 1926 and is based in Bulawayo.Its current coach is Erol Akbay and Barbourfields Stadium is the home ground of the team. The team has so far won 9 Premier Soccer League (PSL) titles, 6 independent trophies and it has also played in the CAF Champions League. In 2013, the team won the Mbada Diamonds Cup.

Formation and Expansion of the Club

The club was formed in 1926 by Albert and Rhodes, who were King Lobengula's grandchildren.[1] It was initially called Lions Football Club and in 1936, it was renamed to Matebeleland Highlanders Football Club (MHFC).[1] In 1963, almost all players of the team defected to join the newly formed Cobras Football Club.[2] This had a negative impact on MHFC which was almost paralysed. Edward Dlamini worked tireless to assist the team from sinking.[2] The club was able to make an impact in the next three years.

In 1966 the team was attested in the Rhodesian National Football League (RNFL) and left the league in 1976.[1] Contrary to this, it has also been stated that between 1964 and 1968, the team was playing in the Bulawayo African Football Association and not in the RNFL.[2] It has was reported that the RNFL was biased hence African teams were not part of the RNFL. In 1970, MHFC had joined the Super League.[1]

In 1975, the prefix 'Matebeleland' was dropped and the former MHFC was now simply known as Highlanders Football Club (HFC). Joshua Nkomo who was the then leader of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) always made scathing attacks towards the use of tribal names by football teams.[2] The renaming of HFC from MHFC was a response to Nkomo's stance.

CAF Champions League

Prominent Players

The Firing of Players

Former Highlanders Coach Bongani Mafu is said to have fired seven players which included the likes of Mthulisi Maphosa for cases of alleged indiscipline after it emerged that Maphosa had beaten up his girlfriend together with her alleged lover.[3] Other players that were also said to have been fired included Joel “Josta” Ngodzo, Dumisani “Fazo” Ndlovu, Njabulo “Tshiki” Ncube, Hillary Madzivanyika, Tapiwa Dephistara and goalkeeper Njabulo “Popo” Nyoni. Club CEO Ndumiso Gumede was reported to have confirmed the firing of Mthulisi Maphosa but not of the other six. Maphosa was also said to have been summoned by the club's disciplinary body for his wayward behaviour but the hearing failed to progress after Maphosa had argued that Highlanders had no jurisdiction summoning him for hearing since they had already fired him.